Headlight



. POST.

HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT Patented May 3, 1921.

rren stares TRUMAN W. POST, 0E EROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TBWILLYS GQRPQ- EATION, DE TOLEDU, 61110, A CORPORATION @155 DELAWARE.

HEADLIGHT.

Patented May 3, 1921.

Application filed September 12, 13 17. Serial ll'o. 190,975.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TRUMAN W. Pos'r, a citizen of the United States,residing at irovidence, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Headlights,of which I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to improvements in headlights and moreparticularly to automobile headlights of the tilting reflector tion ofthe reflector will occur, which will.

result in an uneven and unequal reflection of the light. In thestationary reflector type of headlight, the reflector is clamped to thecasing so that its parabolic shape is maintained by the casing, and theopen end of the reflector is closed by the lens covering the front ofthe casing, so that the reflecting surface is protected from moisture.However, when the reflector is mounted within the casing so as to tilttherein, these methods of protecting the reflecting surface andmaintaining the parabolic shape of the refiector are no longerapplicable, because the reflector must be so mounted as to be free tomove relative to the casing. The lens which covers the front of thecasing does not adeguately serve to protect the reflecting surace of thereflector from moisture, because the casing is not moisture proof andmoisture can enter through the openings for the electrical connections,and in other places in the headlight casing so that it is necessary toprovide some additional meansv for protecting the reflector frommoisture, in a tilting reflector type of headlight. It is also necessaryto provide means for maintaining the parabolic shape of the reflector,because the means which are used in the stationary reflector type arenot applicable in the tilting reflector type.

It is furthermore highly desirable to balance the tilting reflector asnearly as possible, because this minimizes the amount of force necessaryto move the reflector and minimizes the effect of the vibratory movementto which'the headlight is subjected when the vehicle is driven overuneven roads.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an automobile headlightof the tilting reflector type, in which the reflector is so constructedand mounted within the casing as to protect the reflecting surface ofthe reflector from moisture, and to maintain the parabolic shape ofreflector at all times. A further object of my invention is to soconstruct and mount the reflector that it will be more nearly balancedthan has heretofore been possible.

Further objects of this invention relate to economics of manufacture anddetails of construction as will'hereinafter appear from the detaileddescription to follow. 1 accomplish the objects of my invention in oneinstance b the devices and means described in the fol owingspecification, but it is evident that the same may be varied widelywithout departing from the scope of the invention as pointed out in theappended claims. A structure constituting one embodiment of myinvention, which may be the preferred, is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which:

Figure I is a vertical, sectional view, taken through a headlightembodying my invention. I

Fig. II is a fragmentary, sectional view, taken substantially on theline II-II of Fig. I.

Fig. III is a fragmentary, detail view,

similar to Fig. II, but showing the reflector and the plate covering thefront of the reflector in full lines.

In the drawings, similar reference numerals refer to similar partsthroughout the several views, and the sectional'views are taken looking'in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Considering the numbered parts of the drawing, I have shown a'headlightcomprising a casing 10, the open end of which is closed by a lens '11carried by the ring 12. The parabolic reflector 13 is mounted within thecasing" 10, so as to swing on a horizontal axis and'said parabolicreflector carries the usual light bulb 14, having a socket 15. connected with a connector 16, carried by the rear end of the casing 10 bymeans of the wires 17. A forwardly facing annular groove 18 is formed inthe forward edge of the reflector 13 and a packing ring of wicking, 19,or other suitable material, is disposed in said groove. Said wicking maybe held in place by applying a coating of shellac if so desired. A glassplate or pane 20 closes the open forward end of the reflector l3, andits rear face lies against the wicking 19 disposed in the groove 18.Said pane is held in place by means of the split ring 21, which ischannel-shaped in form, and embraces the edge of the pane 20, and theedge of the reflector 13, as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawing. AsI have stated above, this ring is split and its ends are provided withthe radially extending cars 22, through which the bolt 23 passes bymeans of which the ears 22 may be drawn together so as to clamp the pane20 in place, closing the reflector 13. This provides an effectivemoisture-proof closure for the forward end of the reflector andadequately prevents any moisture getting at the polished reflectingsurface so as to tarnish the same.

Trunnions 2 ft are mounted upon the ring 21 at diametrically oppositepoints thereon, and said trunnions are journaled in bearings 26 carriedby the members 25 secured to the casing, so that the reflector 13 isjournaled on a horizontal axis as clearly appears from Fig. ll of thedrawing. The axis on which the reflector is iournded passes a slightdistance back of the pane of glass 20, so that said pane of glass servesto partially balance the weight of the reflector and the weight of thesocket 15 and the light bulb 14. As a result, a reflector constructed inaccordance with this invention is nearly balanced.

A clip 27 embraces the socket 15 in the rear of the reflector 13, andsaid clip is connected to the upper end of the wire 28, which is movablein a sleeve 29 disposed in a boss 30, secured to the casing 10. Saidsleeve 29 is held in place relative to the boss 30 by means of a setscrew 31, and the sleeve may be adjusted relative to the boss and thecasing by loosening the set screw 31. The reflector 13 may be tiltedwithin the casing 10 by movement of the wire 28 in a manner which isunderstood, and which forms no part of my present invention.

From the description of the parts given above. the operation of mydevice should be very readily understood. The pane of glass 20cooperating with the packing ring 19 of wicking makes a moisture-proofjoint and closure for the reflector 13, so. that no moisture can get atthe polished surface of the reflector and it is protected againsttarnishing. The pane of glass 20 and the ring 21, which holds it inplace, also serves to maintain the outer edge of the reflector 13 in atrue circle, so that the parabolic shape of the reflector 13 ismaintained against any distortion. It will be seen that the pane ofglass and the clamping ring 21, which holds it in place, has a doublefunction, in that it serves to protect the reflector from moisture and,at the same time, serves to stiffen the reflector and insure itsmaintenance in its true parabolic shape. This pane of glass 20 and theclamping ring 21 also have an additional function in that the great bulkof it is disposed in front of a vertical plane passing through the axis,on which the reflector is journaled, so that its weight serves topartially balance the weight of the reflector 13 and the socket 15 andlight bulb 14. This balancing of the reflector is very desirable in thatit minimizes the force necessary to swing the reflector on its axis, andalso minimizes the effect of the vibratory movement to which theheadlight is subjected, as the automobile on which the headlights aremounted is driven over rough or uneven surfaces. It will be seen that,in the construction which I have illustrated and described in thisspecification, I have provided a construction, which embodies the threehighly desirable features, which I have heretofore pointed out, in thatthis construction protects the highly polished surface of the reflectorfrom moisture, stilfens the reflector so that it will always bemaintained in its true parabolic shape and more nearly approximates atruebalancing of the reflector relative to its axis.

I am aware that the particular embodiment of my invention. which 1 havehere shown and described, is susceptible of con siderable variationwithout departing from the spirit thereof, and, therefore, I desire toclaim my invention broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated by theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent. is:

l. A device of the class described, comprising the combination of acasing; a reflector mounted to tilt therein, the forward edge of saidreflector being provided with a forwardly facing annular groove; apacking ring disposed in said groove; a pane of glass having itsperiphery engaging said packing ring; and a split channel-shaped ringcmbracin the forward edge of said reflector and the periphery of saidpane, and clamping said pane of glass in place against said packingring, closing the open end of said reflector and maintaining thecircular shape of the rim of the same; and means for tilting saidreflector.

2. A device of the class described, comprising the combination of acasing; a reflector therein; a pane of glass; a split channel-shapedring, embracing the forward end of said reflector and the periphery ofsaid glass, and adapted to clamp said pane of glass to the forward edgeof said 10 reflector to close the open end of said reflector; a pair oftrunnions mounted on said ring at diametrically opposite points thereof;bearings for said trunnions carried by said casing; and means fortilting said re- 15 flector.

In testimony whereof I afiix m signature.

TRUMAN POST.

